Metallic Emotions
by Kitten's Claws
Summary: *CHAPTER TEN* Erek/Marco. When the Animorphs try to stop a rampaging Chee at a chemical plant, Marco becomes temporarily infected by a drug with a strange effect: Complete obedience to the first person he sees. And that person happens to be Erek.
1. One

I've written a story! And it's Erek/One-of-the-Animorphs-you'll-figure-it- out-soon-enough. That's new. I've never seen this particular pairing, so I think it's the first. Actually, I've never seen Erek paired with anyone.  
  
Beware: Erek angst. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!  
  
...Not really. I love the little android. ^_^  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Metallic Emotions  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Erek?"  
  
I glance up, looking the man pretending to be my father.  
  
"Yes?" I answer, not really paying attention.  
  
He hesitates. "Well, I'm worried about you. You've been... preoccupied lately. Distracted. Marie needed you to download that program into the Chee-net yesterday, and you... forgot."  
  
I wince. A bit obvious that I had been distracted. I know most people reading this would think "So? He's only human."  
  
But that's the problem. I'm not human. I'm an android, and so is he. My human name is Erek, just as his human name is John. We're high-tech machines, incapable of hurting anyone. We are also immortal, unless destroyed. We've been on Earth since the beginning of humans. Or, as Marco might say, "Since humans were just figuring out how to peel a banana."  
  
Marco. He's one of the six kids called the Animorphs that are trying to stop the Yeerks from taking over Earth --  
  
[KC: And blah blah blah. We all know the story]  
  
"Sorry. My mind was on... other things." I say, concentrating very, very, very hard on the book I was reading for school. It's on World War Two. I don't need to read it. I already know everything. I was there.  
  
"Erek, we're..." He pauses, then continues. "It's almost an impossibility for us to not remember to do something. Who were you thinking about?"  
  
"What do you mean, who?" I ask, human face taking on an annoyed look. I've been imitating humans for so long that it comes automatically now. I don't know if that's good or bad.  
  
"Erek, just answer my question."  
  
I sigh, a human habit. Ever since he took on the role of my 'father', he seems to think he has the right to tell me what to do.  
  
"The Animorphs." I say, not wanting an argument.  
  
"Any particular Animorph?" He asks, his expression taking on the look that greatly resembled the look the psychiatrist he played often wore before he 'died'.  
  
I pause. "...Yes." I say slowly.  
  
John looks a little nervous. "What?" I ask, thoroughly annoyed now.  
  
"Have you been, well, hanging around this Animorph more than usual? For no apparant reason?"  
  
"Yes?" I snap, not liking where this is going.  
  
"Erek... I think... you may be, well... attracted to one of the Animorphs."  
  
That freezes me. I say nothing for a long, long time, just going over the words "attracted to one of the Animorphs" over and over in my mind.  
  
Finally, I do speak. "I - I don't think so. I mean, they're nice, so I was just being friendly, they're helping us win the war, you know, so I just..." I'm babbling. It can't be true. Absolutely CANNOT be true.  
  
But, what scares me is, it can be true. It can. Because the Pemalites had such advanced technology that we can feel emotions. Love, hate, embarrasment, jealousy, fear... We can feel any emotion humans can. Any emotion Andalites can. Any emotion.  
  
Because, really, we're not just mindless androids. We're a race of intelligent creatures that just happen to be made of metal.  
  
But I can't have fallen in love. I just can't have.  
  
Why?  
  
Because the Pemalites programmed the Chee so that they were loyal. And that loyalty only allows us to love one person. No more.  
  
So I loved one of the Animorphs. That was bad. For me, at least. Possibly for them. Because I was the one always giving them information. As a result, they usually went on dangerous missions, with a high rate of getting themselves killed. And if I loved one of them...  
  
I wouldn't be able to bring myself to do it. Wouldn't be able to send them off on a suicide mission if I loved one of them.  
  
And if the Animorph died... then I wouldn't be able to live without them. It's happened before, with other Chee. They fell in love with a human, married them, pretended to be human and then... self-destructed when they died. Because they loved them too much to live without them.  
  
Love.  
  
I'm beginning to hate the word. [KC: HAHA! Contradictions!]  
  
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Before anyone reams me out, I MADE UP HIS NAME! I MADE IT UP, GODDAMMIT!!! I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT MR. KING'S HUMAN NAME IS!!! *calms down* I'm done.  
  
And, end chapter one! You'll find out who the Animorph is next chapter. Exciting, huh? Now, everybody guess at who it is. One guess per person. As soon as somebody gets it right, I'll post the next chapter and dedicate it to that person! (I know, my prizes suck). But any, please guess! And I'll make it slightly easier: It's NOT Tobias or Ax. But you probably knew that.  
  
Review? 


	2. Two

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|Reviewer's Area|  
  
*To Ambrosia - Nice try, but no! Sorry, not Cassie. I think they'd agree a little TOO much. Anyway... uh, sweet dreams?  
  
*To Lauren - Your answer you will find... somewhere in this chapter...  
  
*To s - Thanks!  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Chapter Two  
  
(Such an original chapter title)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I have more information for them. I shouldn't have told them. Really, I shouldn't have. It's suicide, this mission. Absolute suicide.  
  
But I know they'll go.  
  
I know he'll go.  
  
So I'll go, even if I can't do anything.  
  
  
  
~*~Flashback~*~  
  
"Hey, Erek! Over here, man."  
  
I turned to look at the boy running up to me.  
  
"Hello, Jake." I replied, suddenly noticing a cluster of flies on his shoulder.  
  
I looked around, before extending my hologram around us. The flies flew around a bit, then landing and demorphing. It was not a pretty sight.  
  
"Remind me again why we had to use fly morphs." Marco asked, brushing himself off.  
  
"Because you're supposed to be dead and Ax would attract just a slight amount of attention. And birds don't hang around here. Nothing to eat."  
  
"Yeah, well, humans don't usually hang around here either, Big Jake."  
  
Jake gave him a shut-up-now look. Marco simply gave him an idiot grin and turned to me.  
  
"Ok, Erek, you did invite us to this party to end all parties for a reason, right?"  
  
Rachel nodded. "Yep. He needs us to make confetti." They gave each other high fives.  
  
"Okay, people, can we please get some type of order here?"  
  
Marco blinked innocently up at him. "We do have order. The order of complete and total insanity."  
  
I grinned. Or, at least, I would have had my hologram been around me and not all of us. "Jake's right, Marco. I have a big favour to ask of all of you."  
  
That sobered them.  
  
I sighed. "There's been an... accident down at the chemical plant. A Chee with the name of Andrea works there. There was a spill that altered her programming somehow. She's out of control, and become a killing machine. They're sending in a small army. And almost everyone in the army is a Controller."  
  
Tobias looked at me. Let me get this straight. He said skeptically. We're supposed to break into a chemical plant filled with dangerous gases and liquids that could seriously affect us in ways morphing can't change, find a rampaging Chee that could take out two dozen Hork-Bajir and a bunch of humans with guns - I winced inwardly, the horrific images coming back to my mind, fresh as though I had just seen then. When they had released me from my pacifist programming, I had done exactly that. And it had been terrible. And stop her before an army loaded with Controllers shows up. Is that it?  
  
I looked at them all guiltily.  
  
Suicide mission...  
  
"You don't have to go you know... We'd re-program her, but somehow she's been cut off from the Chee-net and all other ways of contacting her. There's nothing we can do." I said, but my face, even without my hologram, must have given it away. We all knew they had to go. But maybe...  
  
"I should come with you!" I said suddenly. "I could block her hits while you try to get behind her and knock her out."  
  
Marco smiled grimly. "Yep, that'll be good. We're gonna knock out an android capable of surviving machine-gun fire. Uh-uh. Ain't happening."  
  
I paused. "Well, there is one way..."  
  
"What?" Jake asked, suddenly interested.  
  
I hesitated again. "Well, I'll... be getting in some serious trouble for telling you this, but... if you hit her hard enough right here..." I pointed to a spot just above and behind my temple. "You might succeed in knocking her out."  
  
"Cool!" Marco reached out suddenly, and jabbed the afore mentioned spot with his index finger. A wave of weakness washed over me, but only for a second. I took Marco's wrist in my paw-like hand and gently moved it away.  
  
"Yeah. Unless you're an android like me and you get hit there." I said, in answer to his exclaimation. "Marco, with your goril..." My mouth froze suddenly, and I was unable to go on.  
  
They all looked at me, worried.  
  
"Erek?" Cassie asked. "What's going on? Are you hurt?"  
  
"No." I mumbled. "My programming."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Were you going to say that Marco's gorilla morph would be the best choice to touch this Chee's vulnerable spot? Ax inquired.  
  
I tried to nod, but froze up again.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes." Jake said, looking at me from the corner of his eye. "Where is this place?"  
  
"Just two blocks down from the abandoned church you used to morph in." I told them, relieved to be able to speak again.  
  
They nodded.  
  
"And we don't have much time." I added. "The army's been... delayed by a few of the Chee that work in the army. They're just the janitors, but they can pass for staff if they need to."  
  
"So how much time do we have?" Rachel asked, already on her way to eagle.  
  
"About... half an hour."  
  
"Half an hour!" Marco yelled. "And you didn't inform us of this before because...?!" He, too, was morphing as fast as possible.  
  
"We just found out." I answered, trying not to sound hurt by his tone. But I guess I did.  
  
Sorry, Erek. He said to me privately.  
  
I nodded slighty, knowing his osprey eyes would catch the movement. "I don't know if, when I come, I'll be able to help you. I may only be able to watch. I don't know."  
  
Jake turned his falcon head toward me. You shouldn't come anyway. You could malfunction too.  
  
"Okay. Good thinking." Jake nodded at me, which was odd, seeing as he was a bird, before taking off to join the others in the sky.  
  
I returned my hologram to it's regular form, watching them until they disappeared.  
  
Then I followed at a speed no human could run.  
  
I was not letting them get killed. Especially not...  
  
Marco.  
  
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Ha! I'm going to end it there, and you can wait till next chapter.  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO LAUREN!!! Or the second review, if she changed her name. She got it right, and she was the first person to guess! Nice guessing. And I didn't put this at the top because then everybody would have gone to the review section to find out who it was.  
  
Anyways, Drama for the next chapter! Ooh, what happens? No, I don't know either, though I do have *some* idea.  
  
Happy reading!  
  
(Since I've revealed this, I'll put up a slash warning) 


	3. Three

Hello! *waves* It's me again! I guess you thought I was dead for awhile... But no! You can't get rid of me that easily! I AM ALIVE!!! *maniacal laughter* *notices people edging away*  
  
Uh, yes. Okay. *coughs* Just a little bout of insanity there... Okay! I'll stop babbling now.  
  
|Reviewer's Area|  
  
Jinako-chan: No, I didn't steal your idea... what is it anyway? I'd like to know! Poor Erek is all alone because K.A. Applegate abandoned him... *sniffs*  
  
Lauren: You deserved to have the chapter dedicated to you! You're such a good guesser. Thanks for the review!  
  
Fire Tears: *giggles* You're funny! And yes, you guessed it. But Lauren reviewed before you. Ah well. Anyways... here's the next chapter, like you asked for!  
  
Lady Atheilen: If you don't usually like slash fics but you like mine, then that's a big compliment. Here's the next chapter for you! (I think I just told Fire Tears that but... that's okay.)  
  
lightbulby29: Nope, not Jake. As much as I like (okay, love) slash, I prefer him to be paired with Cassie for some reason.  
  
fangrlwlotsofideas: Thank you! I though it was rather original myself. *winces* I hate being ordinary.  
  
CatC10: *whimpers* Don't yell at me, please! *hurt look* *reads compliment* ^_^ Thank you!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Metallic Emotions: Chapter Three (I'll rename these chapters, I swear!)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Uh, Jake? How exactly are we going to knock this Chee - Andrea - out? You've seen how fast Erek moves. What makes you think she'll be slower? I asked, feeling more than a little nervous. Going into a fight against an insane super-powered robot on speed is not my idea of fun.  
  
Actually, Marco, this Chee, with the chemical reaction, has a very good chance of being faster or stronger than she normally would be. Ax told me, not at all helping nerves.  
  
Thanks a lot, Ax. I said grimly.  
  
"Well, it's not just her speed. She's also a lot str - rrrrrrrow." Jake said, his speed cutting off as his mouth was filled with razor-sharp tiger teeth, and his voice box changed.  
  
Stronger than we are. He finished in thought-speak.  
  
We were all in battle morphs. Cassie, in her sleek wolf morph, Ax as himself, Tobias had remained hawk, Rachel had pretty much screwed subtlety and gone elephant. I had morphed to gorilla, and Jake had gone tiger. We figured speed would be our best bet.  
  
Our plan was insane. Jake, Cassie and Tobias would run around like idiots to distact Andrea, while Rachel would try to grab hold of her with her trunk. Once she had succeded, either Ax or I would hit Andrea's weak spot and bring her back to the Chee to be re-programmed.  
  
And I was hoping to actually make it to sixteen.  
  
Silly me.  
  
Cassie, of course, was still trying to pursuede us to negotiate will Andrea.  
  
Look, guys, who says that some of her programming isn't still intact? I mean, what's the harm is trying to reason with her first?  
  
Nothing, Cassie. I said brightly. Just the fact that you're right, there is no harm. She'll have killed us before we feel any harm at all. Did you happen to forget how fast Erek took out those Hork-Bajir and Human- Controllers?  
  
Cassie lowered her wolf eyes. No. She said softly.  
  
Enough talking. Let's kick some android butt! Rachel said happily. I swear, that girl is some kind of deranged violence junkie.  
  
Jake nodded his tiger head in agreement.  
  
We should go in now, and get this over with. It shouldn't take that long. He said, before muttering. One way or another.  
  
Thanks for the pep talk, Jake-buddy. I said, my gorilla mouth becoming a grin.  
  
Did I say that out loud? He asked. Sorry. Well, let's go.  
  
Oh, I can't wait. I muttered.  
  
I was not under the impression you enjoyed violence, Marco. Ax said, sounding a bit sick.  
  
I sighed. Andalite are incredibly smart, but you could pretty much told one that you loved them, and they'd be like, Huh? Honestly.  
  
No, Ax-man, that's Rachel's job. I answered.  
  
Rachel's elephant reared up on it's hind legs, angrily. I raised gorilla hands. Chill, girl. I didn't take your job. She flexed her trunk, as if contemplating swinging it at me.  
  
Rachel, Marco. Chill. Jake snapped, bounding towards the building. We followed, all of us feeling sick.  
  
The feeling was perfectly justified, too, when we stepped inside the building. Undescribable horror bet our stricken eyes. Bodies. Human bodies. Ripped apart, with arms and legs and heads thrown randomly around. Torsos bloody, with holes in them. We slipped on the slick blood-covered floor.  
  
Oh, God. Cassie whispered, choking sounds coming from her wolf.  
  
Suddenly, a human head, ripped from it's body, fell from a ledge to land on the floor in front of me. Glassy, terrified eyes stared up at me. I screamed.  
  
AHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHH, OH GOD, NO! Because, you see, I recognized this face. It belonged to the man that used to be my neighbor. His name was Randy. He used to pay me to cut his grass.  
  
I closed my eyes, and covered my face with my hands, still screaming in thought-speak. The image would not disappear.  
  
NO! NO! NO! A large tiger paw hit me on the side of my head. I barely noticed it. NO! NO! NO!  
  
Marco, get a grip! Rachel said harshly. She didn't know I knew him.  
  
I know him! I half-sobbed, half-screamed. I know him! He was my neighbor, his name was Randy... Oh God, no!  
  
Her thought-speak voice became softer. I'm sorry, Marco, I didn't know.  
  
It doesn't matter. Jake snapped. He needs to get a grip. Now. Or else this is what he's going to be seeing when Andrea gets a hold of us!  
  
That snapped me back to reality. My eyes were still closed, but I pulled my huge gorilla hands away. Jake... I whispered softly. Pleading with him to do what I could not.  
  
I felt a shape move past me. I almost started screaming again, thinking it was Andrea. But it was just Jake, moving the head so I wouldn't have to see it.  
  
It's gone, Marco. I moved it. Jake said, his voice gentler. Open your eyes.  
  
I did, slowly. The horror hit me full blast.  
  
Is this what... what Erek did? I whispered. I had been... dead, really. Erek saved my life. And, as Cassie had said, he had lost his own soul in the process. He had taken out two dozen Hork-Bajir and a bunch of Human- Controllers after we released him from his pacifist programming. Rachel had seen some. Jake had. Ax had been unconcious, as had Cassie. But she had seen the very beginning.  
  
Yes. Rachel said, that memory and this reality making her ever-strong voice tremble. Only, he did it to save us. This is just killing. No purpose. Murder of innocent people. This is so much worse.  
  
Tobia, a hawk, landed on her back. I could only imagine how hard it must be for him, with his hawk eyesight. He closed his eyes. I can't look.  
  
We must go... somewhere else. Ax said, speaking in a shaky, horrified voice. I, as well as the rest of you, I gather, cannot stand here in this... this...  
  
Bloodbath. I finished quietly. This bloodbath of horrors.  
  
  
  
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Ah-HAH! Scary! ...Er, I think I need to up the rating. X_x Anywas, Erek IS in the next chapter. I couldn't have him in this one... just because. It wouldn't have worked.  
  
You know, I think this story has a plot. 


	4. Four

|Reviewer's Corner|  
  
Jinako-chan: Erm, I'm not sure if that's a good thing, if I can picture it well enough to describe it like that. X_x Oh well. And really, you did? Oooh, cool! I might or might not get a chance to read it, because I'm going to my cousin's for Easter and they don't have internet. T_T  
  
Farrah: Aw, thank you. I think they're a cute couple, too. (Duh)  
  
Lady Atheilen: You order me? Alright, I guess that leaves me no choice, then. *points dramatically* On with the fic!  
  
Lauren: For God's sake, people, is the gory scene really THAT bad? X_x I didn't think it was, but... ok. I guess it is. _ Whoops. *sihgs* This chapter ain't much happier, but no one dies. At least, I don't think so... *checks* Nope!  
  
Alikat: It's a good plot! WHOOPEE! I ACTUALLY WROTE A STORY WITH A GOOD PLOT! *victory dance* *huggles Alikat* Thank you!  
  
Animan: Um... I put up the slash warning 'cause it's not-really-kinda- completely-TOTALLY obvious that Erek's in love with Marco. And it's been gore because it's for they story plot. And I will have, as you so eloquently put it, "some sort of freaky defying nature sort of thing going on". But not so you can yell at it. And if you're going to just yell at me and my story, why did you read and review it? _ Besides, there isn't much 'wonderful, happy romance' shit going on yet because they're not just going to jump into each other's arms with the whole "I'll love you forever" bit. I want this to be realistic.  
  
  
  
  
  
Metallic Emotions: Chapter Four (*chanting* I WILL rename these chapters, I WILL rename these chapters...)  
  
  
  
  
  
Andrea does not appear to be inside this facility, Prince Jake, Ax said, stalk eyes watching behind us. Perhaps she has left.  
  
I hope not. Jake answered grimly. Because if she has, I don't even want to know what she's going to do.  
  
The six of us walked through the silent building, Tobias riding on Rachel's back, Cassie pressed up against Jake's side, Ax walking cautiously alone, and me loping along in the middle. It's times like these that I really wish I had someone that I could press up against for comfort.  
  
Erek... I mumbled, saying his name without even meaning to.  
  
What about him? Rachel asked.  
  
Nothing. I said quickly. She didn't answer. We continued our walk.  
  
It was unnaturally quiet, but there was little blood, to our relief. The main horror had been in the entranceway. Obviously, the workers had tried to escape. To our knowledge, no one had.  
  
"Hello, Animorphs." A female voice said. We all jumped about ten feet in the air. Tobias flapped his wings in surprise.  
  
A woman, no older than thirty, jumped down from a five foot high shelf. But we knew this was no true woman.  
  
Andrea. Rachel said quietly, anger seeping into her voice.  
  
Andrea smiled cruelly. "Yes." She flipped long brown hair behind her back. I could see that she was fairly tall, about 5'11, with icy blue eyes, long blonde hair, and an admittably nice body, if a tad bit plump. She wasn't someone that would turn heads.  
  
Andrea. What happened to your programming? Jake asked, his voice very, very steady. Very, very calm.  
  
Sometimes my best friend amazes me.  
  
Andrea laughed. The sound was high and cold. It did not suit her. "It was overidden. I was set free. Free! I can fight now! I can fight!" She laughed maniacally.  
  
Calling the Michael's Happy Farm. We've got a live one for ya. I said automatically. The joke just sprang out, I didn't even think about it. Everyone glared at me.  
  
"You must be Marco." She said with a grin. "Yes... I'm a friend of Erek's, you know. He told me all about you. I don't think he's figured it out yet. Pity."  
  
Figured out what? Tobias asked. His voice wasn't steady or calm.  
  
Andrea waved her hand in a dismissing motion. "Nothing important to you."  
  
Andrea. Ax asked suddenly. Are you controlling this... aggression that you have?  
  
A pause. Then...  
  
"Sometimes." She said, looking down. She lifted her head, the insane smile back on her face. "But sometimes I don't. And those are the best times." Her arm swung forward, and connected with Jake's head.  
  
Jake! Cassie cried out, running to where he had landed, by a closed metal door.  
  
No, Cassie. He mumbled, barely hanging onto conciousness. He began to demorph, the gash in his head healing over.  
  
I felt like crying. We were beaten before we'd even begun.  
  
Jake, human again, was already morphing to tiger. "Go with the plan." He snapped. He fell forward onto his hands and knees, bones crunching and rearranging. Tiger teeth grew from his own human teeth. Go with the plan!  
  
"Tssseeeeeer!" Tobis screamed his hawk scream, and dived at Andrea's head. He pulled up at the last secong, talons grazing her force-field hair.  
  
She dropped her hologram. "Yes, fight me!" She jeered, walking towards us.  
  
Jake leaped out at her, a flash of orange and black. She jumped aside, a blur, her paw-like foot swinging around, missing his throat by millimetres. For one terrible second, I thought she had hit him.  
  
Rachel trumpeted loudly, wrapping her trunk around the Chee's waist. Ax swung his tail around, flat of the blade aimed at Andrea's weak spot.  
  
"No!" She gasped, wrenching free of Rachels grip. Ax twisted his tail around, missing Rachel's trunk and rebounding, aiming again for Andrea's head. But in his quick recovery, he had misjudged the angle, tail blade coming in contact with a hard steel shoulder.  
  
Ahhhhh! Ax yelled in pain.  
  
I swung one cinder-block fist. She caught it with ease, twisting my arm around.  
  
*SNAP*  
  
I screamed, my arm broken. Not, not just broken. I stared numbly at the stump where my arm used to be.  
  
And Andrea laughed.  
  
She laughed while she took and broken piece of test tube and slammed it into my chest.  
  
NO! Cassie screamed, her leap cut short by her scream and her surprise. MARCO!  
  
Andrea kicked me through a wall of wood. I landed in a heap in a pile of cardboard boxes, blood pooling from my chest and stomach, where she kicked a hole straight through me. I was falling, falling into a deep, black bed. A soft, black bed...  
  
And all the while, a familiar voice that I hadn't even known until now that I loved to hear yelled desperately at me, "Demorph, Marco! Demorph!"  
  
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BWAHA. Shortness. Ugh. _  
  
Um, I think I said Erek would be in this chapter. He was supposed to be. And he is. X_x Sort of. I don't think, no, I KNOW I won't be able to get out any more chapters until after Easter, because I have to go up to my cousin's tonight and they don't have internet. Oh well. Sorry.  
  
This chapter totally went in a different direction than it was supposed to. O_o Ah well. I know what's going to happen it the next chapter, though. And Marco won't die, don't worry.  
  
Review please, and Happy Easter to you all! 


	5. Five

|Reviewer's Area|  
  
Forlay: I'm gonna get to the mushy romance stuff, don't worry. And this chapter is definately more cutesy than the other ones. (I think it's impossible to do otherwise, but... whatever. X_x)  
  
Jinako-chan: Haven't gotten around to reading your fic yet, sorry. Just got back, anyway. I wrote this down on paper and then typed it up. Took a bloody long time, too. ^_^; Anyways, BROWNIES ARE YUMMY! .... Heh. What I really meant to say is that, yes Marco's okay. As okay as he can be, attached to... Whoops, giving away this chapter. ^_^; But he's fine.  
  
Fangrlwlotsofideas: *covers ears* Loud! ^_^; But, I continued! *holds out chapter of a silver platter* Here you go!  
  
Alisha: This chapter is definately longer. Happy reading!  
  
Alikat: I didn't think so, either. Said the girl that laughed when her hand got cut open. X_x Although, that might have been from shock.  
  
Lauren: I'm baaaaaaack! *people scream* -_-; Anyways, thank you!  
  
lunaticclowngirl: Slightly. But that doesn't mean my stories are. And no, this has no relation to #27: The Exposed.  
  
Lady Atheilen: I did. ^_^;  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ALL OF THOSE WHO REVIEWED, WHETHER YOUR COMMENTS WERE NICE OR NOT. YOU BOOSTED MY REVIEW COUNT EITHER WAY! ^_^  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Five (Ah, screw it. I'm not gonna rename these chapters. X_x)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Demorph, Marco! Demorph!" I yell desperately at him, trying to get him to come out of his daze. "De. Morph!"  
  
Yeah, yeah.  
  
"Marco, it's me, Erek! Demorph, or you're going to die!"  
  
Erek? His hazy mind begins to clear.  
  
"Yes, Marco. It's Erek. Please demorph or you won't survive. Demorph. Do it now!"  
  
//Please, please, please.// I plead with whatever higher force might exist. //Please, please let him live.//  
  
Yeah, okay. Okay. For a few seconds, nothing happens. Then the coarse hair on his arms begins to disappear, arms returning to human, skin becoming an attractive light tan colour.  
  
Finally, finally, Marco emergs. Dazed, confused and scared, but alive. Without even thinking, I hug him.  
  
"You're alive!" I exclaim, blushing and releasing him.  
  
"Yeah." He mumbles. Tears slip out of his eyes. "Yeah." But even as he cries, he begins to remorph. A tiger roars in pain.  
  
Gotta help them. Somehow, he still seems out of it.  
  
"Marco? Are you alright?"  
  
Uh-huh. He says, barely listening.  
  
I begin to get worried. This is not like Marco at all. "Demorph again, Marco. I'll make sure they're alright. Demorph. Something's wrong."  
  
'Kay. He begins to demorph again.  
  
"Marco, what's wrong with you? You're just agreeing with whatever I say. What happened?"  
  
"Dunno. She kicked me a few times, stabbed me with something... a test tube, I think."  
  
Marco, are you okay? Marco!  
  
"Marco's fine, Cassie!" I yell. "I'll be there in a second!" She does not answer me. But Andrea does.  
  
She runs in, her hologram dropped. "Erek!" She cries out gleefully. "You're here! Wonderful!" She holds out something to me. "This is what will free you! Free the rest of us! Take it, Erek." Andrea looks quite serious for a moment. "You want to help them in this war, Erek? Then take this. It will free you."  
  
I shake my head, feeling sick. Is this really my friend? "Andrea, you don't know what you're saying."  
  
"Yes, I do!" She insists.  
  
"No, you don't, Andrea. You are acting under a chemical influence. Just calm down."  
  
She laughs. "Oh, Erek. You're such a hypocrite. You want to fight the Yeerks, but all you can do is give information. But when you finally get the chance to help in the battle, you turn it down."  
  
"I have fought, Andrea, and I have killed." I say quietly. "And I do not want to fight. In any case, if I used the chemical, I would be out of control like you. And there would be a very good chance that I would hurt the Animorphs and other innocent humans. Like you have."  
  
"You are a fool, Erek." She snarls at me. "And come out from behind that idiotic hologram. You are not human, no matter how much you wish to be."  
  
I shake my head. "You are the fool. And I don't want to be a human."  
  
The Animorphs watch this exchange in silence. They have already demorphed and remorphed, healing their injuries. All but Marco.  
  
"Yes, yo-u do-o." Her speech becomes slower.  
  
"Andrea?" I ask, stepping forward.  
  
"St-ay ba-a-a-ck, Er-r-r-e-k-k-k." She growls, her speech becoming ever slower. She also takes a step forward in a threatening manner. A very, very slow step.  
  
She stops moving, her foot poised in mid-air.  
  
Erek, what's happened? Jake asks, turning his tiger head to look at me. I shake my head, clearing my mind.  
  
"I'm pretty sure she's shut down. Permanently or temporarily, I can't be sure right now." I carefully control my hologram. My human eyes had begun to show my emotions. Sadness, hurt, anger, pity. Now emotionless. At least, on the outside.  
  
"But you should hit the weak spot anyway. She might re-boot her system somehow."  
  
Ax whips his tail forward, the blade hitting the spot with a ringing noise.  
  
Ow. He says.  
  
Demorph. Jake says. He glances at Marco. What's up with him?  
  
Marco's sitting quietly by my side, head resting against my force field and hologram leg.  
  
"I don't know." I say, worried. "He told me Andrea stabbed him with a test tube. I think there might have been some chemicals in it. He's been obeying everything I say." I decide to try something. "Marco, morph to osprey."  
  
He blinks innocently up at me. "Okay." The changes begin, feathers coming first.  
  
"Alright, that's enough." I tell him, nervous now. "Demorph." He does.  
  
This is seriously not good. Tobias remarks, preening his feathers. What happens if we're in a fight and Visser Three tells us to surrender or something?  
  
We all look at him.  
  
Rachel growls. "Great! We're gonna get found out because Marco's acting like the perfect obedient child."  
  
He may only respond to one person. Ax suggests.  
  
"Marco, say 'I'm an idiot.'" Rachel tells him with a slight grin.  
  
Marco looks up at me. "Should I?"  
  
"No." I say quickly.  
  
"Well, that's good." Jake remarks, looking just a little relieved. "At least we know he won't listen to whatever a Yeerk tells him to do."  
  
"Yeah." Rachel snarls. "He'll just run off to Erek to ask if it's okay, first."  
  
"But why would he listen to just Erek?" Jake wonders, looking thoughtfully at me. I shrug.  
  
I hear something. Like a big truck moving. Tobias says. He flies out a broken window, returning a few seconds later. The army's here, guys. He reports.  
  
"Erek, can you project a hologram around us to make it look like nothing's here?" Jake asks, human again. His arm is around Cassie's shoulders. Tears slip silently down her face.  
  
"Sure. I can get you guys to my house." I tell him. I start moving, and Marco immediately gets up to follow me.  
  
"Well, Erek, you now have pet to live with you." Rachel says with a grin. Jake glares at her.  
  
"Not the time, Rachel." He says, obviously worried about his best friend. I fight to keep my hologram face from blushing at the thought of Marco as my pet.  
  
I project my holgram around us, relieved that I don't have to concentrate on keeping my face normal. We walk out of the building, me carrying Andrea, Marco following at my heels like a faithful little puppy. I grin at the thought, knowing that I'd be blushing again if I could. I also know that I'm thinking like an idiot.  
  
Do you think that Andrea will re-power her systems before we reach your house, Erek? Ax inquires.  
  
"No." I say. "You hit her pretty good." I glance behind me. "Marco, please morph to gorilla and help me with Andrea. We'll get home faster."  
  
"Sure!" He begins to morph, looking positively ecstatic to be able to help me out. He lifts Andrea's feet, and we start moving faster.  
  
"That's freaky." Rachel remarks. Jake nods in agreement. Cassie just looks sad, though she's no longer crying.  
  
Silence reigns for a few more minutes, until I stop walking. They look at me, confused. "We're here." I say. "Oh! You can't see through the hologram, can you?" They shake their heads.  
  
"Demorph, Marco." Jake says, after Marco sets Andrea down. He looks at me.  
  
Can I?  
  
I sigh. "Yes. Go ahead."  
  
A minute or so later, I change my hologram back to human form, but also put it around Aldrea. I pick her up, and bring her inside the house, motioning them to follow. Marco had already bounded after me.  
  
"John?" I call, looking around the house. He comes running at Chee speed, a blur to the human eye. Not to my eye.  
  
"You've got her. Excellent." He takes Aldrea's feet, and we both start to carry her downstairs to our 'basement'.  
  
"Come on." I tell the Animorphs. Well, the Animorphs sans Marco. He seems to like the idea of following me everywhere.  
  
When we reach the basement Marie, Gordon, Lance and Freida come up to us. "What happened there? Did she kill anybody?" Gordon asks anxiously. I say nothing. Jake steps forward.  
  
"Yes." He says haltingly, looking sadly at Gordon. "We don't think anyone escaped her. She killed everyone that was working there that day. I think the call for help was made from inside the building."  
  
Gordon doesn't look at Andrea. Neither do Freida or Lance. Maria does, but glances away again. They don't look at me, either.  
  
"He did it for a good cause." Marco says softly, surprising us all.  
  
Marie looks startled. "Yes, I suppose so." But still, she does not meet my eyes. I don't want her to.  
  
"About how long will it take to repair her? Re-pear. Rea-pear." Ax asks, having morphed to human.  
  
John sighs. "I don't know. Possibly two, three days at the least."  
  
I scowl. "Great. Now we can't ask her what was in those test tubes."  
  
John looks curious. "Why?"  
  
"Because Marco's been affected by whatever was in them, or so we think, and happens to be obeying Erek's every order." Rachel says, looking annoyed.  
  
"And if we don't find out what it was, we might not be able to get him back to normal. It affected his DNA somehow, obviously, or else morphing would have cancelled out the effects of it." Cassie says quietly, speaking for the first time since we left the chemical plant.  
  
"Oh. Well, Andrea was telling me about her team's research about a week ago." John says, smiling. "She said that they were creating a new formula for out of control humans. It makes them completely obedient to the first person they see about a minute or so after taking the drug. Obviously, the first person Marco saw after he demorphed was Erek."  
  
"That's awful!" Cassie exclaims. "Making someone obey you against their will!"  
  
How long will it take to wear off or whatever? Tobias asks, ignoring Cassie.  
  
John frowns. "Well, she said that it usually took about three weeks. But they were fine-tuning it, so it may take longer." He looks at Cassie. "Actually, it's designed to stop whatever's making the child or adult rebellious. It was mostly designed for criminals. The medication would eventually change their way of thinking when it came to breaking rules, and then the person wouldn't have to take it anymore. It was a secret formula, and in the making for quite some time. But don't worry, one small dose shouldn't do him any harm."  
  
"Three weeks!" Jake says, his voice raised slightly. "Isn't there some way of neutrilizing it or something?"  
  
I shake my head. "No. If it's merged with his DNA then we have to wait for his DNA to assert itself over the medication and override it."  
  
Jake runs a hand through his hair. "Great. What if we have to go on a mission?"  
  
"I don't know. In any case, your parents should be expecting you home sometime soon." They look at me. "Internal clock." I say. "And Marco will be fine with me."  
  
Jake nods. "Yeah. I do have to go. Thanks, Erek."  
  
I smile. "No problem, Jake." They leave, Tobias muttering something about an owl that chases him around if he gets back to late. I look at Marco, standing silently beside me.  
  
"I think it's time for you to go to bed." I say. I noticed the yawn.  
  
"It is supposed to make them sleepy after the first dose." John tells me, smiling an amused smile.  
  
I sigh. "Alright, Marco. Go to bed." I shoo him off to the little bed in the corner of our small mini-park. Once he settles in, I turn to walk away. He whimpers.  
  
"What is it?" I sigh.  
  
"I... don't know. I don't want you to go." He looks up at me with wide dark eyes. "Will you stay with me?"  
  
I swallow. "Okay. But only for a little while." I sit beside him on the small bed. He's asleep within minutes.  
  
I get up to leave, and I'm immediately called back. "I thought you were asleep." I say, a little cross.  
  
"I was. I just sorta... knew when you were gone."  
  
I sigh again, and lay down beside him. "I'll stay with you. Now go to sleep."  
  
"'Kay."  
  
The way he agrees, and is acting so un-Marco-like is unnerving me. But in any case, he falls back to sleep again very quickly. This time, I don't try to get up.  
  
Sleep, I order my myself. And wake up at six-thirty, unless woken up.  
  
I have to tell myself to sleep, because I don't need to, really. But that doesn't mean I can't.  
  
I'm asleep faster than Marco was.  
  
  
  
--------------------  
  
  
  
I have an adorable mental image of that picture. *squeals* So cute!  
  
...Anyway.  
  
O_O This is looooooong. Long for me, anyway. Longest chapter I've ever written. And a lot more cutesy, too. ^_^  
  
Yes, I'm going to get into the whole romance scene in this story. Very soon, too.  
  
Happy reading, the next chapter should be up soon! 


	6. Six

|Reviewer's Area|  
  
Lauren: That was my reaction. And here's the next chapter.  
  
Lady Atheilen: Yeah, that's why I have it up. I love it when authors have a reviwer's section because it makes me feel like they actually give a damn about what I have to say. And I'll fix that whole POV thing. I meant to do it. I actually just realized that I... didn't. X_x I'll fix it soon.  
  
Jinako-chan: He's more like a kitten in this chapter for some reason. A little more self-aware, too. He actually talks. Sleep-deprived brain? 5:54 in the morning. That sounds familiar. ^_^; *bows to brownie shrine*  
  
Alikat: *sniffles* You... like *my* story? *cries* I feel so loved!  
  
Prometheus: *claps hands over ears* What is wrong with you people?! Can you not whisper?! .... Sugar overdose baaaaaaaaaad. Thanks for the review!  
  
Forlay: Don't worry, I can't draw either. X_x And yes, the possibilities are wide and varied. There's a lot of Marco musings in this chapter. Woo. *sighs* And I don't have spell check. I just have to read it over and hope. -_-;  
  
fangrlwlotsofideas: Captain? *star eyes* Woo, I'm a captain! *gets out captains hat* Yo ho ho and a bottle o' rum! ............. X_x  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Six (I DON'T have to rename these chapters! *evil laughter*)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
|Erek's POV|  
  
  
  
  
  
"Awwwww..." My eyes open, and I sit up, awakened by the sudden voice.  
  
"Oh, hi Cassie." I say, slipping out of the bed.  
  
"Can't even leave you two alone for one night." She teases, seemingly recovered from yesterday's horrors. I feel my hologram face flush.  
  
"He got upset whenever I wasn't around." I say defensively. Cassie laughs good-naturedly. Her laugh seems to rouse Marco. He sits up in bed, hair tousled from sleep and face flushed from the warm night. He yawns cutely.  
  
//Must not think about how incredibly adorable he is, must not think about how incredibly adorable he is, must not... too late.//  
  
He cocks his head to one side, blinking. "Cassie!" He says happily, sounding very much like a five-year-old. Then he leans across the bed and hugs my waist. "Erek!" He chirps, nuzzling his face against my human stomach. A small grin flickers across Cassie's face.  
  
"How cute..."  
  
I gently lift Marco up and away from me, trying to stop myself from hugging him close to me and never letting go.  
  
"What are you doing here so early, Cassie?" I ask, changing the subject. "It's about four in the morning."  
  
She shrugs. "I wanted to see how Marco was doing before I went to school. Besides, I was having nightmares and needed to get my mind off them." She shivers, and I nod sympathetically. Images don't come for me when I'm asleep. Only when I'm awake.  
  
She smiles at Marco, who had drawn back to the bed, and was just sitting and watching us. "You know, Rachel had a point."  
  
"About what?"  
  
Cassie looks torn between amused and a little sad. "He is a lot like a human pet now, isn't he?"  
  
Without even thinking, I reach across to stroke Marco's hair. He makes a small contented noise, leaning into the little head-petting I'm giving him.  
  
"Yeah, I guess..." I say, quickly pulling my hand away. Marco pouts a little, looking slightly hurt. "But he's a bit like a little kid, too."  
  
She shifts her gaze to Marco. "You think the real Marco's still in there?"  
  
I shrug. "I don't know. Maybe. If he isn't, and this *is* him until the meds wear off, I wonder if he'll remember anything. Andrea probably knows, but she's still being repaired and re-programmed. I'll ask her when she's functioning again, though."  
  
Cassie looks upset. "Do you think she'll be able to live with herself? What she did?"  
  
I look Cassie straight in the eye. "I did."  
  
She turns away, smiling sadly. "Sorry. I didn't forget, Erek, I just -"  
  
"Didn't want to remember." I finish bitterly. "At least you can forget, even just for a little while."  
  
Marco hugs my waist again, dark eyes wide and peering up at me. "Don't be sad. You were brave. You saved our lives. *My* life." For a second, I can see the old Marco looking out at me. Then he's gone again.  
  
Cassie sighs, reaching out and petting Marco's head for a moment. She's realized he seems to like it. "You're right, Marco." He just leans into her hand.  
  
She yawns. "I'd better go." She says reluctantly, looking at Marco. "Before I'm too tired to even go to school. At least it's Friday."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She turns to go, then pauses and turns back around. "Will you be at school today, Erek?"  
  
I shrug. "Dunno. Maybe I'll get someone to fill in for me."  
  
Cassie nods. "Okay."  
  
I give her a lop-sided grin. "You sound like Marco."  
  
She smiles sadly. "Yeah." She turns away again, and walks out the door. She doesn't look back.  
  
"Erek?"  
  
I turn to look at the incredibly cute form of Marco. "Mmmhmm?"  
  
"Are you mad at me?"  
  
"No!" I exclaim, shocked. "Why?"  
  
A saddened look crosses his face. He hangs his head. "Because you... you don't... care about me, I guess."  
  
"Of course I do!" //More than you'll ever know...//  
  
"Not the way I... or at least, the way I think I care about you."  
  
I freeze. "What?"  
  
He scrunches his nose in a cute manner. "What were we talking about?"  
  
I shake my head, sighing. "Nothing, Marco." He yawns, and snuggles back into bed.  
  
"Tired..."  
  
He seems to be switching back and forth between five-year-old level and ten- year-old level.  
  
"Then sleep."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
His face turns redder than the original heat-induced flush. "I can't sleep without you."  
  
Ten-year-old.  
  
"Okay." I snuggle in beside him again, secretly enjoying the chance to be so close to him.  
  
Marco nuzzles his head into my chest, wrapping his arms around my waist. "'Night."  
  
Five-year old.  
  
I blush, from both the fact that he's holding on so tightly to me and the fact that I'm enjoying it. I run a hand through his soft hair.  
  
"Goodnight, Marco."  
  
------------------------------------  
  
I wake up again, though this time not from a voice. It's six-thirty. I slip quietly out of the bed for the second time, and have gotten about ten feet away from the bed when...  
  
"Erek?!"  
  
Marco.  
  
"I'm right here." I sigh, turning to look at him. He looks slightly frantic.  
  
"I thought you'd left me."  
  
I smile at him. "No. But I do have to go to school today. You have to stay here."  
  
He looks terrified, and jumps out of bed, running to me and clinging to my arm tightly.  
  
"No! If you leave, if you don't come back..." Tears well up.  
  
"Marco... I will come back. There isn't much in this world that can hurt me."  
  
He whimpers. "I don't want you to go."  
  
"I have to." I say, feeling very much like I'm talking to a child instead of a teenage Animorph warrior.  
  
"But -"  
  
"No buts." I say firmly. You are going to stay in here until I get back. You can wander around all you like, but you are not going to leave unless you are in danger. Understand?"  
  
He whimpers again, but nods. My face softens.  
  
"Good." I pet his head again, and he leans up against me, purring like a kitten.  
  
"And I'll be here for the whole weekend. It's Friday, so I won't have to leave tomorrow."  
  
Marco sighs. "Okay..."  
  
"I have to go now." I say reluctantly, pulling my hand away. He follows me all the way to the door in a sad silence. He tries to follow me through the door, but I carefully block his way.  
  
"I told you to stay down here." I say crossly.  
  
Tears form again. "I know. I was going to. I just wanted to say goodbye..."  
  
"Alright." He doesn't look much happier, but hugs me anyway, pressing his nose into the crook of my human neck. "I'll miss you."  
  
I flush. "I'm not going away forever. Just for a few hours."  
  
He pulls away reluctantly. "Bye."  
  
I sigh. "Goodbye, Marco. See you in a little while."  
  
The door shuts, cutting us off from the other. But I still can faintly hear his anguished sobs.  
  
---------------------  
  
|Marco's POV|  
  
  
  
I have absolutely no idea what the hell is going on.  
  
Okay, that's not totally true. I do have *some* idea. I heard while Mr. King explained everything. But... it's weird. It's like there's two people living inside me. Me, and this weird, overly obedient, I've-been- drinking-coffee-laced-with-speed kid. Who happens to be overly affectionate towards Erek and is obeying his every order.  
  
And also seems to be divulging every secret I possess.  
  
Like the whole "You don't care about me the way I care about you" thing. I wanted to die of embarrassment. The whole time I was screaming at myself from way back in a corner of my mind to shut up.  
  
I bet whoever's reading this really wants to know what I meant by that.  
  
That was the only affectionate thing that wasn't induced by that stupid medication. Because, truthfully, I would not be going around begging Erek to sleep with me or holding onto him like a security blanket.  
  
Okay, that's not really how it was, but it's close enough.  
  
Do you have any idea how lonely it is being me? I don't think any of them do. I mean, I have absolutely no one that loves me. Well, Jake, Cassie, Tobias, my dad, my mom, even Ax and Rachel love me. Just not that way. I don't have anyone to run to and hold on to when I'm so scared that I can't think straight. Cassie has Jake, Jake has Cassie. Rachel has Tobias, Tobias has Rachel. Even Ax had Estrid for a little while. But I've never had anyone.  
  
I know who I want, though. I want Erek.  
  
I love Erek. Impossible, I know. And yet, it's possible.  
  
It took me a long time to come to terms with it. Almost an entire year. I was scared to death by it when I first figured it out. I mean, normal boys don't go around falling in love with other boys, let alone android boys.  
  
Then again, I'm not really normal in first place. But adding the fact that I was gay *and* in love with someone that wasn't even human didn't help my sanity any.  
  
Hell, I didn't - and still don't - know if it's even possible for Chee to fall in love. Sure, they love dogs and nature and stuff, but I mean really love. Like mushy-romance kind of love.  
  
I wish I knew, but then, if I did, I might wish I didn't so I could keep on hoping.  
  
And even if Erek can fall in love, what are the chances he'll fall in love with me?  
  
Absolutely zero. Below zero. Like, minus fifty kind of zero. Zilch, zip, none, nada.  
  
I don't even know why I think about it. It just makes me depressed. More depressed, really, since I can't even control my own body. I can see, can hear, can feel, can smell. But I can't control my body. It's like there's a Yeerk in my head.  
  
That thought makes me feel sick.  
  
I have to wait three weeks. Three weeks! And, unlike if there was a Yeerk, no two or three hour break every three days. But also unlike a Yeerk, no one invading my thoughts and memories. No one laughing at me, sneering at my helplessness.  
  
So I guess this isn't so bad.  
  
But I hate not being able to control my own body. It's incredibly embarrassing to know that I'm very untactfully getting all touchy-feely with Erek, and being able to feel it but not being able to stop it.  
  
Also embarrassing knowing that I'm also kind of glad that I can't stop it , because I almost don't want to.  
  
Sometimes, I wonder if Cassie knows. I think she does. Like this morning, she seemed almost happy at my affection. I think she's guessed, or at least suspects.  
  
"Erek..."  
  
My thoughts are interrupted by my own voice, and my devastsated tears. //Oh, shut up.// I think angrily. //I can't wait until I'm back to normal. Or as normal as I can get.//  
  
My body trudges over to the bed, and curles up where Erek had lain only minutes before, pulling the covers over my head, and falling asleep. I try to stay awake, try to fight it, but I only get more and more tired, until finally, my mind is asleep as well as my body.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Okay, no more ending off with people falling asleep! Bad KC, bad! *thwacks herself*  
  
Erm, this chapter went awry too. X_x But at least it's keeping with my general idea for the plot. I bet nobody expected Marco to already be in love with Erek! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 


	7. Seven (Finally!)

Forlay: Yeah. Being ordinary sucks! (Plus I'm just lazy...)  
  
Jinako-chan: *gasps* Marco cat-girl?!?! CUTECUTECUTECUTECUTECUTECUTECUTECUTECUTECUTE!!!  
  
Lauren: And here's more romance!  
  
traycon3: A new reviewer! Woo! Even if you are damn confusing, I still love you! You reviewed! And it's a good review!  
  
fangrlwlotsofideas: Yep. POV's are good.  
  
Alikat: *steals Marco doll* WOO! MARCO DOLL!!! *dodges sharp objects* *gives back doll* O.O *hides under a rock*  
  
Prometheus: *sticks in earplugs and screams* If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! *giggles* You're funny!  
  
Fire Tears: I'd almost given up on you. X_x But you're back! ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ And no, Erek won't pretend... Or will he? :) *evil laugh*  
  
Alisha: Thank you! And you get this chapter dedicated to you because you have my best friend's name.  
  
Early: Another new reviwer! *glomps Early* I love you guys! And I'm glad you like it. I wanted it to be realistic, so I'm happy you think it is.  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ALISHA. SHE HAS MY BEST FRIEND'S NAME! (I know, I'm shallow...)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven (I think...)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
|Marco's POV|  
  
  
  
The next few days passed quickly. The Chee continued to repair Andrea, but weren't getting very far. They would have to clean out the chemical, first, and they were having a hard time doing that. Erek stayed with me, mostly. Or rather, I stayed with him. The other Animorphs and my father visited me for a little while, but I couldn't respond. Rachel made a few offhand comments, and I thought up about thirty comebacks for each of them, but, again, I couldn't respond.  
  
Bummer.  
  
But it gave me time to think. Mostly, I thought about Erek. About how he was taking this sudden display of I'm-completely-in-love-with-you-give-me-a- hug-because-I'm-obsessed-with-you affection.  
  
And he's taking it well.  
  
I mean, if, say, Jake had been the one infected and he was all lovey-dovey- freaky towards me, I don't think I'd handle it all that well. Having your best friend follow you around everywhere like a faithful little servant that like giving you hugs in not my idea of fun.  
  
But Erek doesn't seem to mind. He just constantly blushes. Which is cute.  
  
...Cute? Did I say cute? I meant adorable. No, not adorable! Lovable. Yeah, that's it, lova...  
  
Ah, screw it.  
  
But he honestly doesn't mind. Like when he pets my head. I have to admit, *I* like it, embarrassing as it is to admit it, but he obviously doesn't mind, or else he wouldn't do it.  
  
Or maybe I'm just getting my hopes up, wishing on something that could never be.  
  
"Marco, I know that you're in there somewhere. You told me that. Do you think you could say something? Talk to me for even a second?"  
  
Erek's voice, soft and gentle, cuts through my thoughts.  
  
I try. Really, I do. But I can't. It's hard. Even talking to him for that fleeting second before drained me.  
  
"Please try, Marco."  
  
I try again, for him. Harder this time. Try for Erek, I tell myself. Try for Erek.  
  
"I... it's... hard... Erek..." My voice comes in choking gasps. It's so, so tiring, but I do it. I feel like my mind is being torn apart. It hurts.  
  
"Marco?"  
  
So tiring... Can barely think...  
  
"...Yes..." I choke out. He wraps his arms around me in a hug.  
  
"Good." His voice is a whisper.  
  
Tell him...  
  
No...  
  
"I... can't... keep... talking... it... hurts..."  
  
He looks alarmed. "Then stop. Stop. Rest for awhile, Marco. Rest."  
  
Tell him...  
  
No...  
  
A hint...  
  
Fine...  
  
"Fine... I'll rest... for... you..." I mumble.  
  
Not enough of a hint...  
  
Shut up...  
  
You will tell soon...  
  
No...  
  
Yes...  
  
...Yes...  
  
"I'm glad, min elskov." His voice is soft and soothing. He strokes my hair, and I lean against him. "I'm glad."  
  
I'm so tired and worn from talking that I can barely think 'Huh?' before blacking out.  
  
  
  
  
  
|Erek's POV|  
  
  
  
"I'm glad, min elskov." I breathe into his silky hair. I know he doesn't know what that means. On one level, that's good. But on another level, I almost wish he did know.  
  
"Tired." He mumbles, gone again. I sigh. As cute as kid-Marco is, I still prefer Animorph-Marco.  
  
"I know. Go to sleep."  
  
"I can't. I... need to do something." He sounds confused. Conflicted.  
  
"What?"  
  
He tilts his head up toward mine, and presses his lips carefully to my pseudo-human ones.  
  
The kiss is tentative, and only lasts for a second. But that's all it takes to send my head spinning and my thoughts whirling.  
  
He pulls away, looking shocked and afraid.  
  
"Marco... you..." I manage to say. I can't believe he just did that. I enjoyed it, God, I enjoyed it! But I never dared to think that he'd ever kiss me. Ever.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I... don't know. I think... I think it's because of what I am."  
  
This confuses me. "What do you mean?"  
  
He looks like he's trying to work something out. Like the details are there, but he can't piece them together.  
  
"I am... I am... I'm made up of all the emotions this other person doesn't want to show. This other person... he's the one that you all know. The one you all like. The one that's in my head. He's tired now. I'm every hidden emotion in him. That's what I am."  
  
"So what you're saying is, inside, he's really this affectionate towards everybody. Or he wants to be?" I ask in disbelief.  
  
He pauses, thinking. "No... just you. Affectionate towards everyone, yes, but mostly you. And it's a different affection towards you."  
  
I freeze. I'm hoping, hoping... Knowing it can't be possible but wishng anyway.  
  
"What affection?" I ask faintly.  
  
He looks at me seriously. "I'm not sure what it's called. He's with holding that information from me. He doesn't want you to know. But the emotion is strong. Powerful." He scoots closer to me, hesitating, them snuggling into my lap.  
  
"Tired..." He yawns, and begins to fall asleep in my arms.  
  
"What does the emotion feel like?" I ask, nervous at his sudden change.  
  
"E - e - emotion?" He asks, stifling a yawn.  
  
"Yes. Emotion. The one you were telling me about."  
  
He uses my chest for a pillow, being a little too short to reach the crook of my neck.  
  
"I didn't tell about an emotion." More yawning. "Tired."  
  
I sigh, and wrap my arms around him. "Then sleep."  
  
"'Kay." He stretches up, placing a quick kiss on my neck. I blush.  
  
Every emotion that he doesn't show?  
  
"Marco. Tell me now. Who do you love?" My voice is sharper than I meant it to be. He glances up.  
  
"I... He... doesn't want me to tell."  
  
I look him straight in the eye. "I need to know, Marco. Tell me who the person that I know, that everyone knows... tell me who he loves."  
  
He bows his head. "An order?"  
  
I feel a bit sick, ordering him to do it, but I need to know.  
  
"Yes. It is."  
  
He lifts his head, looking me in the eye, meeting my gaze fiercly. And I just know somehow that it's the real Marco, the Marco I fell in love with looking out at me.  
  
The single word is not easy for him to say, but he manages to choke it out.  
  
"...You..."  
  
-----------------  
  
Cliffhanger! Woo! *throws confetti* Now, it's time for a round of  
  
GUESS WHAT EREK SAID!!!  
  
I mean, what he said when he said 'min elskov.' Just to clarify that. ^^;  
  
It's not that hard. Honestly, it's so obvious I might as well have a big neon sign up screaming what it he said. It's that blatantly obvious.  
  
...Really.  
  
Sorry this took so long. I was really busy. Geography maps and crap really suck. X_x But I got 96/100 on my Novel Study! (My marks are going up!)  
  
I is so happy!  
  
Aaaaand here's a quote from the story that I'm writing. (It's MY quote, *I* made it up, dammit!) (I stole the name Alena from Fire Tears' X-Men Evolution story. ...Okay, okay, I didn't *steal* it. I asked.):  
  
"Everyone has wings, Alena." Garon said seriously. "But only you can choose whether or not you learn to fly."  
  
  
  
*star eyes* Woo, I love that quote! Don't you? 


	8. Eight

|Reviewer's Area|  
  
Lauren: *laughs* I don't want to fail, either... Failing Gr. 8 would seriously suck, considering all my friends would go to high school without me. T_T But my teacher told me that I''m her top Gr. 8 student in *all* areas! Woo! (except gym ^^;)  
  
Jinako-chan: *giggles* Huggies! ....Erm, anyways... Yep, they kissed! Not much in this chapter when it comes to romance, but I had to add this part or nothing would have made sense later on. ^^;  
  
Daniel D. Wardorf: Erm... go read Fire Tears's review for my opinion on *your* review.  
  
Fire Tears: My opinion exactly! You know me so well, girl. It's nice to have a fellow friend wen it comes to fanfiction. Even if you don't write Animorphs fiction. ^^  
  
Forlay: You're right! It does mean 'my love'. And... YESYOUCANARCHIVEMYFICTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUANDDIDIMENTIONTHATI'VEBEENTOYOU RSITEANDILOVEIT? X_x What I said, in my amazed-induced (did that make *any* sense?) high is: Yes you can archive my fic. Thank you thank you thank you! And did I mention that I've been to your site and I love it? Haaaaaa. Insanity rules!  
  
Alisha: Yep, I like it too. Both the name and the plot twist! BTW (I *hate* using short forms, but I need to shudder. *shudders* There.), you're welcome!  
  
Lady Atheilen: You're right, too! It's okay. I, of all people, understand business. ^^; Thanks for liking my quote!  
  
  
  
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO FORLAY AND LADY ATHEILEN FOR FIGURING OUT WHAT EREK SAID!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"...You..."  
  
I freeze. I just freeze. Impossible! There's no way... it has to be Marco just joking again... He wouldn't... He *couldn't*... I'm a robot, just a machine, and he can't love a machine...  
  
"Marco... you... I..." I say dumbly.  
  
"Erek!" I turn slowly. John runs toward me. "We've fixed Andrea. She wishes to talk with you."  
  
"But..."  
  
"She refuses to say anything to us other than that she wants to speak to only you. Only you." He emphasises the 'only you'.  
  
"Now?" I ask, looking at Marco. He's retreated again, allowing the medicine-induced self to take over.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"All ri - what?!" Everything is frozen around me. No one and nothing moves. Dogs are frozen, leanping in midair. Chee are stuck in one position. Marco is leaning against the tree, away from me. John has his mouth open, in reply. Only I am moving.  
  
"Ellimist." I say finally. "What is it you want?"  
  
A light chuckle fills the air around me. All around me.  
  
NOTHING. IT IS WHAT YOU WANT THAT I AM CONCERNING MYSELF WITH.  
  
"I want nothing."  
  
UNTRUE. YOU DO, INDEED, SEEK SOMETHING. SOMETHING I CAN GIVE.  
  
"From what I've seen, and from what the Animorphs have told me about you, you don't simply give away favours." I say suspiciously.  
  
NO. BUT I DO GIVE THINGS IF THEY HELP MY PURPOSE.  
  
"What is your purpose?"  
  
YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND, CHEE-KORO. YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND.  
  
"Call me Erek."  
  
AS YOU WISH, EREK.  
  
Suddenly, I'm floating in a blank, white nothingness. Z-space.  
  
I HAVE AN OFFER.  
  
"What offer? What is your purpose?"  
  
Another deep, booming laugh. YOU ARE NOT TO BE DISTRACTED, I SEE.  
  
"What is your purpose?"  
  
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK OF IT ONCE I TELL YOU, CHEE-KORO. EVEN IF YOU UNDERSTAND.  
  
"Erek. Not Chee-Koro. Erek."  
  
Another laugh.  
  
"Your purpose?"  
  
MY PURPOSE, EREK KING OF THE CHEE, IS TO WIN THE GAME.  
  
"Game?"  
  
THE GAME THAT CRAYAK AND I PLAY. THE MIXED GAME OF SADISM ON HIS SIDE, AND ALTRUISM ON MINE.  
  
HE DESTROYS PLANETS AND LIFE WHEREVER HE GOES. TO PUT IT IN SIMPLISTIC TERMS, HE IS A PLAGUE. A PLAGUE OF DEATH. I, TOO, AM A PLAGUE. BUT I AM A PLAGUE OF LIFE. WE CANNOT CO-EXIST FOR THESE REASONS. BUT, FOR OUR OWN RULES AND REASONS THAT YOU WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND, WE CANNOT FIGHT AN ALL-OUT BATTLE THROUGH SPACE AND TIME.  
  
SO WE ALLOW OTHER SPECIES TO. CRAYAK AND I PLAY MANY DIFFERENT... MINI- GAMES, SO TO SPEAK. GAMES WITHIN OUR GAME. CRAYAK HOLDS THE GAME PIECES OF THE YEERKS. I HOLD THE GAMES PIECES OF THE ANIMORPHS. THE ANIMORPHS AND YOU, EREK.  
  
"Why me?"  
  
BECAUSE ALL SANE CREATURES NEED SOME TYPE OF LOVE TO SURVIVE. JAKE AND CASSIE, FOR INSTANCE. THEY SUPPLY EACH OTHER. RACHEL AND TOBIAS ALSO SUPPLY EACH OTHER. AXIMILI-ESGARROUTH-ISTHILL WAS TEMPORARILY SUPPLIED BY ESTRID-CORILL-DARRATH. MARCO HAS NO ONE. HE NEVER HAS. HE, IF NOT SUPPLIED BY SOMEONE, WILL SLIP INTO INSANITY. HE HAS SOMEONE IN MIND.  
  
"Me."  
  
YES.  
  
I hesitate. "What... what is your offer?"  
  
YOU ARE VERY MUCH LIKE A HUMAN, EREK.  
  
"Oh." I didn't know what else to say. I already understood.  
  
MARCO KNOWS THAT HOWEVER ACCEPTING THE OTHERS ARE, MOST OF THEIR SMALL FORCE WILL NOT ACCEPT... THIS. SO I NEEDED TO DO THIS. SO HUMANS WOULD WIN. SO CRAYAK WOULD LOSE.  
  
"You know I love him."  
  
YES.  
  
"You want to make me human. Is that it?"  
  
YES.  
  
"What's that catch?"  
  
Another chuckle.  
  
THERE ARE TWO... CATCHES, AS YOU SAID.  
  
"And they would be...?"  
  
FIRST: YOU WILL ONLY HAVE A HUMAN BODY. THAT IS THE ONLY HUMAN THING YOU WILL POSESS. YOUR PROGRAMMING, STRANGTH, MEMORY, LIFESPAN... IT WILL ALL BE INTACT. YOU WILL BE, SIMPLISTICALLY, A CHEE. BUT WITH THE BODY OF A HUMAN. YOU WILL EVEN STILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE HOLOGRAMS AND FORCE FIELDS.  
  
THE SECOND CATCH IS THAT YOU WILL DIE THE SECOND MARCO DOES. THE VERY SECOND.  
  
"What does Crayak think of this?"  
  
A self-satisfied chuckle. HE BELIEVED THAT YOU WOULD REFUSE. THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO REMAIN A CHEE, AND THAT YOU WOULD WISH TO LIVE FOREVER. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT CRAYAK DOES NOT UNDERSTAND, IT IS LOVE.  
  
"Very cliche."  
  
BUT TRUE.  
  
"And I did not say I would accept."  
  
NO. AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO. THE CHOICE IS YOURS TO MAKE.  
  
The decision was... a no-brainer, as humans might say. I would still be a Chee, and a human at the same time! The best of both worlds. Another human saying.  
  
And dying when Marco does... I wouldn't be able to live without him anyway.  
  
"You know my answer, Ellimist."  
  
WHAT IS IT? I NEED TO HEAR YOU SPEAK IT.  
  
"Yes."  
  
---------------------------  
  
Short chapter. Very short. But I didn't want to extend it to much, it would have lost the, er... drama.  
  
Yeah, drama. You heard that right.  
  
If Erek seems a bit emotionless in this chapter, well, he's in shock. If you were a machine and a joker just suddenly told you he loved you, wouldn't you be a bit surprised?  
  
Oh yes. I made up Erek's real name. I figured I'd have to somewhere along the line, but I wanted to hold off doing it until I had to. So, his name isn't really Chee-Koro, but I'm pretending it is. So there. Ha.  
  
And I wonder what Marco will think of this 'new' Erek?  
  
Hmmmmmm...  
  
P.S. The Ellimist RULES! (I can't help it. I love the guy!) 


	9. Nine

|Reviewer's Area|  
  
Early: I think your review got lost in the mail. ^^;  
  
Fire Tears: I do? Wow! And I like the name Chee-Koro too! (Namely why I used it ^^;)  
  
Jinako-chan: Marco? Nah, I think he'd just commit suicide or go crazy or just go all withdrawn or somethin'. Nothing big. You love me? O.O HUGS FOR *EVERYBODY*!!!  
  
Forlay: And thank you for archiving my fic! *sniffles* Such an honour... BTW (attack of the evil short forms!) half the pics on your site aren't working. And you might want to try brinkster.com as a host. They've always been good to me.  
  
Lauren: Vewy cute! Here's the next chappie! (Kiddie talk... Yay!)  
  
Alikat: Yes I do! X:Men Evolution is cool! (Gotta love Pietro)  
  
Junsei: New reviewer! *glomp* You say cannot a lot. That rhymes! *giggles*  
  
fangrlwlotsofideas: X_x I wasn't going to do that. Nope. I'm not killing off anybody... yet... *evil laugh*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
YOU HAVE CHOSEN AS I HOPED YOU WOULD, EREK KING OF THE HUMANS AND CHEE  
  
Suddenly, I am back in the Chee underground. Everything is back to normal, like it always was. Nothing's changed. Except... except...  
  
My hologram is not up. My force field is not up. But I'm human still!  
  
I hold a hand in front of my face, flaxing my fingers. It looks exactly like it always did when I projected my hologram. But my hologram was turned off.  
  
As a test, I try to make my hologram. Amazing. It works! I gasp in surprise, then gasp again. I can breathe!  
  
Human!  
  
The project my hologram, this time of my robotic self. Chee!  
  
But I can still fee the restricting programming. Can still feel my strength that is far greater than any human's. Can still hear better and see better than any human. But now I can smell.  
  
I could before, but not really. The smell was dull. But now...  
  
Trees, grass, flowers! I can smell them, like I've stuck my nose right into them!  
  
I can even smell the dogs. And though I like dogs, a few of them are wet. And that's a smell I could do without.  
  
I notice Marco sitting by the tree, where I'd been only seconds before. I walk slowly over, knowing that while I could run Chee speed, I don't want to.  
  
  
  
|Marco's POV|  
  
  
  
I'm insane. Completely insane. I can't believe I said that. Can't believe I told him!  
  
Of course, part of that was because the damn voice in my head wouldn't shut up.  
  
"Marco?"  
  
Erek. Nononononono! I don't want to face him, don't want to see him...  
  
"Marco." My head looks up at him of it's own accord. I shrink back mentally. //Don't hate me!//  
  
"I don't really know how to say this... but... the Ellimist came to me. Spoke to me. Gave me something. A gift, I suppose."  
  
Ellimist? Gift? Somehow the two don't mix.  
  
"Gift?" My voice echoes my thoughts. At least the voice is relaying simple messages now.  
  
"Yes. I..." He pauses, then extends his hologram around us.  
  
But he's still human. Impossible! But... the Ellimist...  
  
"Human!" My voice says happily. My body stands, and hugs him, my head just under his chin.  
  
Well, relaying messages to a point.  
  
"Yes. The Ellimist made me human." To my delight, and the other me's delight, he returns the hug.  
  
"...Hologram?" I ask. The other me, that is, asks.  
  
"A human body, rather." Erek specifies. "I still have my programming and everything else. Everything that made me Chee before I still posess, with the exception of my body." He lifts me up into his arms easily, like he was lifting a feather. I laugh happily.  
  
"See?" He says, smiling, setting me down.  
  
Suddenly, I tumble forward, feeling like I'm being torn in half. Pain! Burning, searing pain! Erek catches me. "Marco!"  
  
I stand up, shakily, as the pain decreases and disappears. *I* stand! Of my own free will!  
  
RELEASE  
  
The Ellimist!  
  
Both of us wait for a few minutes, his arms still encircling my waist. But he (it, they?) does not not speak again.  
  
Kooky old guy.  
  
"I'm... me again!" I say, overwhelmed with relief. "I mean, the drug's worn off. Or rather... the Ellimist removed it."  
  
Erek lifts me into the air, twirling me around. Suddenly, he seems to realize what he's doing, and sets me down, a blush creeping cutely onto his face.  
  
I'm also blushing. "You're... human!" I say finally, changing the subject.  
  
"Yes." He's smiling, face suddenly becomes serious. "Did you mean what you said?"  
  
I freeze, praying he's not asking what I think he is...  
  
Seeing my slightly confused expression, he adds, "Before. I asked you who you loved. You told me it was me. Did you mean it?"  
  
I'm suddenly aware that I've backed up aginst a tree that happened to be inside Erek's hologram. I'm also aware that he's followed me. Our noses are almost touching.  
  
"I..."  
  
"Did you?" He breathes, hands on either side of my face. My breathe is caught in my throat, and I think my brain is shutting down. //Okay... okay... he can't hurt you, he said his programming was still intact...//  
  
"Yes." I mumble. I can barely hear my own voice. But I've forgotten. If he's still a Chee, only with a human *body*, then his hearing would probably have stayed the same.  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
I barely have time to register his words, when he leans forward, closing the small gap between us and presses his lips to mine.  
  
OhGodohgodohgodohgodhe'skissingmehe'skissingME!  
  
After a few seconds, my mind clears enough for me to respond, and I don't care in anyone walks into the hologram at the moment, because Erek is finally *mine*  
  
  
  
|Ellimist's POV|  
  
  
  
Kooky?  
  
I believe I enjoy that sound of that word. In human language it means crazy, or so I've learned.  
  
I suppose that word, in some situations, would describe me fairly well.  
  
I watch the two creatures down on the planet Earth. One is older than the human race, one isn't even two decades old.  
  
Quite the pair.  
  
I have seen many, many strange and interesting things. Things that don't make sense, things that should be impossible, even by my standards. Things that the universe has never seen before. But this...  
  
When I first saw these two space-time lines entwining with each other, I almost didn't believe it. A machine and a seintnant creature, falling in love? Surely it was impossible.  
  
But it was.  
  
The creatures I created, the Pemalites, were masters of technology. But even I did not expect them to be able to allow their androids to feel such complicated emotions such as love.  
  
But after I began to dig deeper into the minds of the creatures I absorbed from Father, countless millions, billions of years ago, I realized that love is not complicated. It is a raw emotion. Clear cut, with no jagged edges. Unfortunately, problems often arise because of this.  
  
That is why anger is such a common emotion. It is so complicated that all creatures, including myself, cut it down to a raw emotion. Then we unleash it upon everyone in our path.  
  
Foolish.  
  
We also stubbornly complicate love. Love is raw, so we contain it. Love is simple, so we complicate it. Love is wonderful, so we degrade it.  
  
Sometimes, I wonder if the primitive creatures are really the intelligent ones. They leave emotions as they are.  
  
A bit amazing, when you look at the difference.  
  
I look down on the strange pair again. Completion radiates from them both. So does a level of joy that I have not experiance more than twice in all of my travels through time and space.  
  
Yes. These two have been saved.  
  
And because of this, so has the beauty of planet Earth.  
  
---------------------  
  
I should have named this chapter "Why You Shouldn't Give KC Sugar In Coffee That Isn't Decaf."  
  
Wow. Actual romance developments! And next time the - duh duh dun - Animorphs find out! *gasp*  
  
Or, at least, that's what I hope will happen. My chapters have been running away and not coming back until they're all mismatched and crazy. I'm half expecting to write something about the Ellimist doing a striptease.  
  
X_x NO MORE SUGAR AND CAFFIENE, DAMMIT!!!  
  
...Anyway. I'm sick. As in, so-sick-I-actually-fainted-and-that-might-be- part-of-the-reason-I-stuck-the-Ellimist-in-this-crazy-chapter. Woo!  
  
...Er, review? 


	10. Ten (Hey, I was sick. It'd take you awh...

|Reviewer's Area|  
  
Forlay: It is? *hugs* I feel so loved! And I'm still not totally well, but I'll try to get better so I can write more chapters soon!  
  
Alisha: I did? Sorry. Here's the next chappie! (Yes, CHAPPIE)  
  
Nina: *laughs* I'll try. After the series is done. But I'll try!  
  
Jinako-chan: Oh vey? That's what Erek and Marco said. Then Marco attempted to attack me. X_x But Erek held him back, so I'm not dead. ^^;  
  
Unreflected Image: Cool new name, girl. And I ignore the insanity. *pokes at fangirl goo* Get up, dammit! I didn't work on this chapter for nothing, you know!  
  
Alikat: Nightie's cool, too! But Pietro still rocks! (I wonder how long we'll be debating this for...)  
  
fangrlwlotsofideas: You love me? *sniff* I - I - *bursts into tears* *blubbers* I LOVE YOU TOO! And go to Forlay's site. It rocks! *peace sign* P.S. Hahaha I bought earplugs.  
  
Teika: Here's what the other 'morphs think!  
  
Lauren: Nope, not just you. I think it'd be funny. Maybe I'll try it... *hears screams from the background* What?  
  
Early: Your review was confusing... but there's no Ellimist this chapter... though everyone's OOC... X_x  
  
Pippin's Overused Toothbrush: For the love of cheese? *flexes claws* Cheese mean mice and mice mean kitty food... *drool* ...Erm, anyways... Withdrawls?! Oh, God! Here's the next chapter!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
|Marco's POV|  
  
  
  
Erek? What is going on? I do not believe that two human males are accepted doing that together. Or so it was mentioned on The Young And The Restless.  
  
Erek and I leaped away from each other, blushing furiously.  
  
Okay, maybe I *did* care if someone walked into the hologram.  
  
"Ax, we, uh... I - I - I'm not under the control of that drug anymore!" I said brightly, leaning as far back into the tree as I could. Erek resumed his hologram. Or just dropped it all together, I wasn't sure which.  
  
Strange to have him human.  
  
Ah! This is strange. The effect was not meant to wear off for at least fifteen more days. A pause. Erek. Have you found a way to produce two holograms at a time? I am sure that you were human when I walked in on the two of you pressing your mouth parts together.  
  
Erek grinned, blushed, and suppressed a laugh. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention that to Jake. And yes, I was human. No, it wasn't a hologram. I had a run-in with the Ellimist. I'll explain it to you all when the others come."  
  
They will arrive in approximately three of your minutes.  
  
"They are not *my* minutes, Ax. They are *everybody's* minutes. This is Earth. They are your minutes too, now." I told him. An ongoing joke between us.  
  
He turned a stalk eye my way. Or thirty-five gatans. The Andalite minute, to crudely translate.  
  
"Ah. Well, then, these are my minutes. And a very fine few minutes, indeed."  
  
Ax said something about 'undecipherable human humour' and walked away.  
  
Erek rolled his eyes. "You people, and I use the term loosely, are not dead yet because...?"  
  
"Hey, the Yeerks think I'm cute. They're not going to kill a cute guy and his average-looking friends."  
  
He laughed. "I dunno. Jake's cute." He teased, wrapping his arms around my waist. I pouted.  
  
"Cuter than me?"  
  
"No one," He breathed in my ear. "Is cute than *my* Marco."  
  
I snorted playfully. "*Your* Marco? Hardly. You're mine." I tried to get out of his hold.  
  
And found I couldn't.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"No, you would be mine."  
  
I struggled in a pseudo-attempt to escape. Erek didn't even move, holding onto me like I was just standing there.  
  
"Awwww, now isn't this cute!" Rachel said with a slight sneer. "Big, strong Marco can't get away from Erek."  
  
I stopped struggling, and Erek released me.  
  
"I'd like to see you get out of the Hulk's son's hold, Xena."  
  
"You're... normal!" She said, surprised. Then, "Or rather, normal for you."  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, thanks. Glad to see you missed me."  
  
"How?" Jake asked, looking at me with a 'you'd better tell me now or I'll be forced to injure you severly' look.  
  
I sighed. "Sit down, Big Jake. And I'll explain. Or rather, Erek'll explain. He knows the full story."  
  
Jake looked at Erek questionaningly, but sat down. The others followed suit, Tobias perched on Rachel's shoulder. Ax came running over to us.  
  
Hello, Prince Jake.  
  
"Hi, Ax. Don't call me Prince."  
  
"Yeah, hi!" I said with a grin. "Pull up a chair. Or whatever you Andalites do."  
  
I do not see a chair.  
  
Jake glared at me. "Just listen to Erek, Ax."  
  
I shrugged, and turned to Erek. "Your show."  
  
  
  
|Erek's POV|  
  
  
  
I didn't quite know where to start. But I figured that I should leave out the part about Marco and I till the end, so I began with showing them that I was human.  
  
"Well, first of all, I have to show you something." I extended my hologram around us, and still my body was human. Of course.  
  
They stared.  
  
"You're... human!" Cassie blurted out, looking shocked. She reached out to touch my arm, looking even more shocked when she touched skin and not metal. Marco brushed her hand away.  
  
"Mine." He said with a grin. They all looked at him.  
  
"Anyway." Jake said, looking equally shocked. "How did you become human?"  
  
"The Ellimist decided he needed a make-over. Being human is very fashionable these days." Marco smiled, with pseudo-innocence.  
  
"The Ellimist made me human," I explained. "On two conditions. One, only my body would become human. I would be pure Chee for everything else. Chee strength, Chee senses, and Chee programming. I can even use the Chee- net still.  
  
"The second condition involved Marco. I will die the very second he does. I will not live a minute longer."  
  
Long pause.  
  
Why Marco? Tobias asked finally, breaking the silence.  
  
Marco's grin became wider. "Well, you see, that medicine forces me to show all the emotions that I normally wouldn't. Anyone understand?"  
  
A moment's pause...  
  
"Marco... all that affection towards Erek...." Cassie said, looking rather amazed.  
  
"No way." Rachel stated, looking disbelievingly at Marco. "No. Way. This is another one of your jokes, isn't it?"  
  
Marco smiled. And leaned over and kissed me. Quickly, but sweetly. I could feel myself blushing like an idiot, and put up a hologram of my face *not* blushing.  
  
"Ooooookaaaaaay. Marco has gone officially insane." Rachel said. She looked straight at Marco, her expression unreadable. "You are so lucky that Erek can't hit you."  
  
"Why would I?" I asked.  
  
"Because," Rachel said matter-of-factly. "Marco kisses are right up there with having a Yeerk in your brain."  
  
Erek appeared to be enjoying this act called kissing when I saw them earlier. Ax put in. Not helpfully.  
  
Jake sighed wearily. "Okay. Okay. Let's just skip this part, shall we? Why did the Ellimist turn you human?" He directed the last question at me, not even looking at Marco. Marco himself looked slightly hurt.  
  
"I... wasn't allowed to tell some things." I answered slowly. "But... it was because... he said that you all had someone that... supplied you with... love. Or at least, that's how he put it."  
  
Supplied? Love? Tobia asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes. He said, as an example, you and Rachel." I told him. "Jake and Cassie. Even Ax and Estrid, for a little while."  
  
I noticed Ax's face turn slightly purple. This would have been a human way of expressing extreme anger, but I suppose it was an Andalite blush.  
  
I found it rather amusing.  
  
  
  
|Jake's POV|  
  
  
  
I just sat there as Erek told us everything. It was almost... unreal. That sounds so strange coming from me, especially after everything I've been through. The Animorphs have been through. But this...  
  
My best friend, in love with an android?  
  
Former android, granted, but an android nonetheless.  
  
I watched Erek's face as he spoke. I supposed it was covered by his hologram. But I don't think any of us missed the way he smiled when he told us how some things, and people, were destined to be. None of us missed how Marco slowly but subtly slid himself into Erek's lap. None of us missed of incredibly happy the two of them were.  
  
Not even me. Not even me, the cold, fearless leader.  
  
We left them after awhile, Rachel unusually silent. She seemed to be thinking things over. Tobias and Ax were silent as well, but that was normal for them. Cassie looked happy. It made me wonder if she had known it all along.  
  
Me, I was expressionless. Or, at lest, my face was. Inside, everything Erek had said kept going over and over in my mind. It was like a cycle that I couldn't escape from.  
  
I morphed later on, and entered the Chee underground as a fly. None of them noticed. I could see through all the holograms, if they were up. I didn't take me long to find Erek and Marco.  
  
They were together.  
  
They weren't kissing, or hugging. Marco was just sitting quietly in his lap, resting his head against Erek's chest. Erek himself was running his fingers absently through Marco's hair. Every now and then, Erek or Marco would whisper something to the other, and then one of them would smile. But mostly, they just sat silently in each other's embrace.  
  
Content with each other.  
  
It was something I envied with all my soul.  
  
I wanted that contentedness, that peace that I couldn't have. I wanted that second of completeness that would never be mine.  
  
I wanted something I couldn't have. I wanted that wonderful feeling of having a soulmate that understood you.  
  
But I was happy for Marco, all the sme, even if his choice was strange. And I was happy for Erek, too.  
  
But still, I envy them.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
I feel so bad that this took so long. But I was seriously sick. I did have this done, but I was home sick for three days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) and Wednesday I coughed up disturbing amounts of blood. I went to the hospital, where they said something was wrong (big name, can't remember). So that took up that day. And tonight I had loads of homework to catch up on. Altogether, 306 math questions, seven language sheets, two French pages, a Health project and a History map. Woo. Fun.  
  
I hate school right now. -_-;  
  
Review, please? *chibi eyes*  
  
Oh, sh*t. Just coughed up more blood. Have to call my mom. Bye. 


End file.
